Making Banners and Bridges: Working Together on Global Themes

Jordan, L. and Martin, H. (2009) Making Banners and Bridges: Working Together on Global Themes. In: CRLL International Conference 2009 Lifelong Learning Revisited: What next?, University of Stirling , FK9 4LA, SCOTLAND, Tues 23rd - Fri 26th June 2009, (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This paper is an interpretivist study of joint work between two groups of learners, one group from a Higher Education institution and the other from a small independent organisation. This collaboration provided an opening for the groups to work together from January to March in 2007 and in the same period in 2009. Before 2007, one week in the Chevening programme had been dedicated to examining community development organisations and policies in Scotland. The CD team in the Department of Adult and Continuing Education (DACE) had initially offered an annual lecture and workshop on community development and the sessions had been well received. So it was agreed in 2007 that it would be beneficial if we could include the CD students as they had much in common with the Fellows in terms of their work and studies. So both programmes were synchronised to enable the students and Fellows to work together. In 2007 the learners included the student/practitioners of the Bachelor of Community Learning and Development (BCLD) within the University of Glasgow and the Fellows of the Chevening Scholarship programme hosted and ran by the Active Learning Centre (ALC). (The BCLD was later replaced by the Bachelor of Arts in Community Development (BACD).) The joint work had gone well in 2007 so the tutors decided they would collaborate again in 2009 so the BACD student/practitioners and a different group of Fellows shared another learning experience. The University students in both the BCLD and BACD courses attended a work-based degree programme which is for people with substantial, current practice working in the community in either a paid or unpaid capacity. The Chevening programme, which has run since 2004, included ‘mid-career professionals from a variety of both Government and non-governmental organisations from all over the world’ Active Learning Centre (2003). During their time in the UK, the Fellows take part in a series of visits, lectures, workshops, roundtable discussions and placements. The collaboration had at the heart of the work some very straightforward aims which were value driven and about the benefits of mutual and reciprocal teaching and learning, supported by meaningful discussion and dialogue. The basic impetus was for the two groups of learners to come together to explore global issues from different perspectives. The groups were also given an opportunity to learn about each other’s work in civil society and governance. The aims of this partnership were simply to • to gain mutual learning • to bring the visitors into the host communities • to take the University out to relevant communities • to create sustainable relationships.

Item Type:Conference Proceedings
Keywords:International collaborations
Status:Unpublished
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Jordan, Ms Lynette and Martin, Mrs Helen
Authors: Jordan, L., and Martin, H.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education
College of Social Sciences > School of Education > People, Place & Social Change
Research Group:Social Justice, Place and Lifelong Education Research and Knowledge Exchange Group
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2009 The Authors
Publisher Policy:Reproduced with the permission of the authors

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